Sir Topham Hatt
Sir Topham Hatt '''AKA '''The Fat Controller, '''is the manager of the North Western Railway. The Fat Controllers So far, there have been three controllers in charge of the North Western Railway. Sir Topham Hatt I (1880-1956) '''Topham Hatt was apprenticed at Swindon Works at age fourteen and seems to have struck a friendship with W. A. Stanier during his time there. He came to Sodor in 1901 and joined A. W. Dry & Co. at Tidmouth. On their recommendation, he became engineer to the Tidmouth, Knapford & Elsbridge Lighthttp://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/Tidmouth,_Knapford_and_Elsbridge_Light_RailwayRailway in 1909, the Tidmouth, Wellsworth & Suddery in 1912, and the North Western Railway upon its formation in 1914. On the North Western Railway, he rose to be general manager in 1923, managing director in 1936, and upon Nationalisation in 1948, he was created a baronet on his appointment as chairman of the Regional Executive. He married Jane, sister of Mr. Handel Brown, and retired in 1954 in favour of his son Charles, whom the board had no hesitation in electing as his successor. Sir Charles Topham Hatt II (1914-1997) Sir Charles Topham Hatt was the Fat Controller from 1954 to 1984, when he retired in favour of his own son. During his period of office, he began improvements to the harbour at Knapford, planned by his father, and reopened the Arlesburgh West in 1965/6, being responsible for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway and for establishing the ballast consortium which uses it. He married Amanda Croarie in 1940 and they had two children, Stephen Topham, born 1941, and Bridget, born 1943. Charles inherited his father's baronetcy in 1956. Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III (1941-) Sir Stephen Topham Hatt (who first appeared in Toby the Tram Engine while on a family holiday in East Anglia with his parents and grandfather) became the Fat Controller in 1984, succeeding to his father's baronetcy in 1997. In 1970, he married Helen Margaret, a distant cousin and granddaughter of the Reverend Nicholas Dreswick, the much-respected historian of Sodor. They had five children: Richard Topham (1972-) Charles Nicholas (1974-) Emily Helen (1977-) and twins, Bertram Topham and Lowham Topham (1979-). He played a part in arranging the construction of the Arlesdale Railway's new locomotive, Jock, in 1990, a project which had been dear to his father's heart. With great skill, he masterminded the arrangements for the royal visit in 1995, when he welcomed the Prince of Whales on his visit to Sodor. Persona The Fat Controller is seen as a firm but fair character. He can be strict, but also shows a fatherly side to the engines. He is quite a strong character and will remind the engines that he is in charge when they start to rebel against his authority. He does not stand bullying and, even though he is usually serious, he does enjoy a good laugh. Despite his kindness and fairness, however, there are times where he berates the engines for things beyond their control. Gallery IMG 0480.jpg|Sir Topham Hatt driving Winston IMG 0610.JPG|THETHOMAS4's Sir Topham Hatt and Winston. IMG 0482.jpg|THETHOMAS4's Sir Topham Hatt with Winston